That’s a Wrap!

 

T H A T ‘ S  A  W R A P !

>>> April, 2013 <<<

 

We missed our monthly wrap-up for the month of March so we included family photos from the last two months! Also below… some posts & recipes you may have missed in April! Thanks for reading {simply}! We love our readers! 

 

:: sara ::

 

:: nicole ::

 

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Grapefruit Margaritas

 

:: GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITAS ::

I am feeling like it is a Grapefruit Margarita kind of a Monday! There are two reasons to make these refreshing margaritas.  Number 1 it is Sara’s birthday today, so we must of course cheers to that! Happy birthday sweet friend Simply could not happen without you! Number 2, Ay ya ya!, it’s Cinco de Mayo this weekend. So break out your Margie glasses and put on some mariachi music, and let’s make a pitcher!

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{weekend} lovelies

Weekend Lovelies is here… and it’s all about  l o v e {which I guess is what it’s usually about}! Love & support for Boston, love for yourself, a little fashion, parenting advice for raising well-rounded kids, and a few sweet treats you can make in a single-serving {less guilt that way}! 

Hope you all have some fun plans over the weekend! What are you up to? Husby and I are off on a little roadtrip with the littles… in our quest for the simple life! Wish us luck! God willing… big changes ahead {wink, wink}!

Have a lovely weekend! {xo}

 

{Behind the Cover // Boston Magazine}

The cover of the May issue of the Boston Magazine features 120 running shoes, all worn in the recent Boston Marathon. It is shaped in a heart and the headline reads, “We Will Finish the Race.” John Wolfson, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said that the idea behind the photo was to honor the bombing victims and the entire city for its response to the tragedy. He stated that “Every single shoe contributed a tiny bit to the overall effect, but collectively, you have something powerful.”

We happen to love the spirit of this photo. We are all standing behind Boston…

Visit The One Fund Boston to make a donation to help the victims {and their families} affected by the tragic events that occurred at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. 

 

 

 

{Real Beauty Sketches // Dove}

This has been floating around the web all week… and we really do love it. We all need to focus on loving ourselves… and perhaps seeing ourselves from other people’s perspectives. I, for one, am guilty of this… I thought it was beautifully portrayed and a real eye-opener.  

 

 

 

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Pilates and Autism

 

 

:: Pilates and Autism ::

“Do Good” is the motto of our sorority. We lived by these words during my collegiate years, but I don’t believe its capacity was revealed to me until recently.  Today, as I share this post with you, I have to pinch myself knowing that a Delta Gamma has come in my life to show me the true meaning of “hope”.  Dawn-Marie Ickes is a licensed Physical Therapist and fellow sorority sister that has opened the door to a new way of treating Mason’s Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing issues.

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Chicken and Bean Stew Recipe

 

:: CHICKEN AND BEAN STEW RECIPE ::

 

Ten minutes is all it takes to prepare this lovely Chicken and Bean Stew Recipe. I love finding quick and easy recipes when I visit Trader Joe’s.  It is a great meal when you have a busy week and you don’t want to order out AGAIN!  Six simple ingredients is all it takes.  This stew is a little on the spicy side, but with a small change of the recipe, you can get the whole family to sit down to enjoy this meal.

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Vegetarian Lasgana

 

 :: VEGETARIAN LASAGNA ::  

“Meatless Monday” anyone? I’m not sure about you…. but I’m always looking for a new vegetarian option that’s family friendly. I was attracted to this recipe from Trisha Yearwood because the use of cashews, tofu and fresh basil to create a ricotta-like mixture sounded delicious… and unique! The recipe also called for black beans in place of a meat mixture. Yum!

Of course, like with any recipe, I made some changes after reading the reviews. It turned out super tasty, and also made for great leftovers {which I’m not usually a fan of}! After the recipe {shown below} I listed a few pointers, as well as, additional ingredients you might like to incorporate to make this lasagna recipe tailored to fit your family! 

 

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{weekend} lovelies

Happy Weekend Lovelies!

Monday, April 22nd,  is Earth Day!

This weekend is a wonderful time to celebrate “Mother Earth!”

A great excuse to step outside and do something positive for the environment.

This weekend’s lovelies are an ode to the Earth and a bright and breezy spring.

 

  >>>>>> Simply Happenstance on Instagram <<<<<<

 

Sara and I love Instagram.

We have been enjoying the app for some time personally, but we thought it would

be wonderful to share with our readers our favorite finds in life!

A little mixture of people, places, and of course pictures of food!

Head on over to Instagram and follow our adventures!

Of course the week we headed back to school, it ended up being warm and sunny!

Sara was able to squeeze in a little beach time with her youngest kiddos, 

and I paid a wonderful visit to The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistano.

It is the perfect place to enjoy and spend Earth Day!

They have wonderful resources ranging from school programs,

to classes on sustainability gardening and recycling.

Here are some positive ways to celebrate and contribute towards the environment:

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Egg-in-a-Hole

My kids and I have a secret obsession….. it’s watching the Food Network’s cooking shows! We don’t turn the television on during the week {because we’ve learned we never get homework done otherwise}, but when the weekend strikes… the kids and I do love a little downtime watching a few of our favorites together…. especially the Pioneer Woman, the Barefoot Contessa, and Trisha’s Southern Kitchen {or Ree, Ina & Trisha… as we call them around here}! This recipe is one that I recently tried out from Ree {the Pioneer Woman}. I decided to be a loving wife and make Husby a little breakfast upon coming home from a 48-hour shift at the fire station. I am actually allergic to eggs… so I was not able to sample the dish, but I will say that it smelled heavenly… and Husby did devour two pieces and said he thinks it’s even better than FRENCH TOAST!!

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Four Hidden Emotional Needs of a Child

>>> The Four Hidden Emotional Needs of a Child <<<

 

I have a piece of paper secured to the side of my refrigerator that I was given when working as a school psychologist. I’ve kept it for years in its current location because of its importance. I often pass by and steal a quick look at its contents. It doesn’t take much…. just a glance, but it serves a purpose. It reminds me to take inventory of whether or not I’ve been doing a good job at meeting my children’s emotional needs. Hopefully, I am not only meeting their basic and physical needs, but their emotional, as well. These are the hidden kind that are much harder to communicate, especially as a child. After all, how many children do you know that come up to their parents and say, “Can you please give me some self worth today?” However, children do articulate their physical needs, such as being hungry, tired, or cold.

Although this list is not exhaustive of all deep-rooted emotional needs, it’s simple… and is universal to all children {Source: Your Child’s Hidden Needs – Bruce Narramore}. 

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